How To Prevent Winter Roof Damage

Winter weather can cause serious damage to any home, especially if the roof is already compromised. Your roof takes the brunt of all weather conditions and over time can become less effective at protecting your home. It is imperative to have your roof inspected, at least once a year, especially after significant storms or if you see any missing shingles or visible damage.

Each winter, when the snow and ice accumulated on your roof react to the heat emanating from within your home, it begins to melt. This melted snow and ice, can create “ice dams” along with your gutters, downspouts, as well as on the roof forcing it to seep under the roof and drip in through the flashings. These areas are not designed to be dampened and will begin to cause damage to the roof structure.

Keeping your gutters cleaned throughout the year, especially after fall when they are usually littered with leaves, will go great lengths to help protect them from becoming backed up with ice and blocking their effectiveness to move melting water away from the roof.

Other issues we see caused by snow and ice are trapped water frozen around drains on flat roofs, leaks and water damage around skylights, fallen limbs from trees that bow under the weight of snow and ice, and mold/fungi growth on shingles from dampened leaf debris left on the roof for long periods of time. Keeping your trees trimmed back and away from your roof and gutters will help to protect your home from damage.